This application is not related to any pending United States or foreign patent application.
This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.
This invention relates to a machine for planting grass sprigs.
Grass is probably the most important type of vegetation and certainly exceeds in value forestry products, fruit trees and row crops. Much of the grain consumed in the world, such as wheat, oats, rye, rice and so forth is the result of seeds produced from grass-like plants. In addition to food-producing grass-like plants, an important aspect of grass is production of fodderxe2x80x94that is, food that is consumed essentially by livestock rather than directly by humans.
In addition to providing food, grass is exceedingly important in landscaping in which grass surfaces are not fostered essentially for production of food, either for humans or for animals, but as a protective surface for parts of the earth. Lawns, parks, golf courses, and so forth are possible only because of grass surfaces. Some lawn grass can be propagated by planting seeds, rye grass and fescue being common examples. On the other hand, there are types of lawn grass that are not well adapted for propagation by seeds. The exceedingly popular lawn grass, Bermuda, being a prime example. Bermuda and other similar types of grasses are most commonly propagated by planting sprigs. Bermuda and similar grasses have long runners that produce tentacles that can take root and grow. Portions of the runners produced by Bermuda are calls xe2x80x9csprigs.xe2x80x9d Propagating Bermuda by spreading these portions of runners is called xe2x80x9csprigging.xe2x80x9d
To plant grass from sprigs, the common procedure is plow or dig up sod that is an inch or two of soil having the Bermuda grass thereon. Sod includes grass plus the top layer of the soil that produced the grass. The sod is then broken up into small bits and pieces each having a portion of a runner.
The most common way of planting grass sprigs is to form paralleled furrows or slits in the ground surface. Sprigs of grass are then placed into these furrows or slits. For this purpose, grass sprigging equipment has been designed and used for many years. This invention is an improved machine for planting grass sprigs.
For additional background information relating to grass sprigging and particularly to machines for planting grass sprigs, reference may be had to the following previously issued United States patents:
The invention herein is a machine for planting grass sprigs into the surface of the earth. The machine includes a super-structurexe2x80x94that is, a frame having front and back wheels. The front wheels are pivoted relative to the back wheels so that the frame can be guided in a forward direction of travel over the earth""s surface. The frame can be self-propelled, however, in the most common application of the invention, the frame or super-structure is designed to be pulled behind a tractor so that a separate engine may not be required on the super-structure itself.
A sprig storage bin is supported by the super-structure and typically has a large open top in which grass sprigs can be dumped, such as by use of a front-end loader. The sprig storage bin has an opening in a floor surface through which grass sprigs can fall. Typically, the opening is in a forward portion of the sprig storage bin.
A distributor system is provided for moving grass sprigs contained within the storage bin towards the floor surface opening so that grass sprigs are constantly available for passing downwardly through the floor surface opening in a substantially continuous process while the super-structure is being moved forwardly and grass is being planted. A plurality of grass discharge troughs are positioned below the opening in the floor surface. Each grass discharge trough is formed of a pair of spaced-apart wide downwardly inclined moving belts. The belts are supported in a V-shape pattern providing a relatively wide inlet upper space between belts. The belts taper downwardly towards each other to provide a relatively narrow, elongated discharge slot. The discharge slots of the troughs are in alignment with the super-structure direction of travel.
The discharge slot of each of the troughs is spaced in close proximity to the surface of the earth when sprigs are being planted.
Grass sprigs from the storage bin pass downwardly through the opening in the floor thereof and into the wide inlet opening of each of the troughs. Opposed rotating belts move the grass clipping downwardly into the narrow slot forming the outlet of each trough. The sprigs are carried downwardly by the moving distributor belts to deposit grass sprigs in paralleled in-line patterns on the earth""s surface.
A trenching disc is carried by the super-structure for each of the discharge troughs. The trenching disc is in line with and forward of each discharge trough and forms a narrow trench in the earth""s surface as moved along with the super-structure. Specifically, the trench formed by each trenching disc is in alignment with and in advance of the in-line pattern in which the grass sprigs are deposited on the earth""s surface by the discharge troughs. In operation, the in-line pattern of grass sprigs deposited from each discharge trough is on top of the narrow trench formed by the trenching disc associated with each discharge trough.
There is provided at least one planting disc carried by the super-structure that is in alignment with and spaced rearwardly of each discharge trough. As the in-line pattern of deposited grass sprigs are continuously discharged onto the earth""s surface a planting disc forces the grass sprigs into the trench formed by the trenching disc.
Thus, the trenching machine includes provision for creating a plurality of parallel spaced-apart narrow trenches, depositing a narrow pattern of grass sprigs on top of each of the trenches, and engaging the deposited grass sprigs with a planting disc or discs to force the grass sprigs into each of the trenches.
More details of the invention and a better understanding of the machine for planting grass sprigs will be obtained from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the claims and the attached drawings.